Sunday, Dec. 18
vs. Cal State Dominguez Hills (1-9, 0-3 CCAA)
Pioneer Gym - Hayward
1 p.m.
Live stats
Monday, Dec. 19 - Faculty & Staff Appreciation
vs. Cal State LA (4-3, 2-1 CCAA)
Pioneer Gym - Hayward
1 p.m.
Live stats
HAYWARD, Calif. – The Cal State East Bay women's basketball team is set to return to CCAA competition this week, as it plays host to Cal State Dominguez Hills and Cal State LA. The Pioneers (3-5, 0-2 CCAA) will be looking to turn things around after opening the conference season with back-to-back losses, but are coming off a pair of quality performances against non-conference opponents earlier this week. East Bay will take on the Toros on Dec. 18 at 1 p.m. before meeting the Golden Eagles on Dec. 19, also at 1 p.m., with both games to be played at Pioneer Gym.
The Pioneers are coming off a tough two-point loss to Notre Dame de Namur on Wednesday night. Despite a stellar first-half performance, East Bay struggled late in the second half, while the Argonauts put on a three-point shooting clinic to pull back from a 15-point deficit and hit a last second basket to earn the win. The Pioneers shot nearly 40 percent from the field and drained nine threes, but only went to the free-throw line five times in the game, while giving NDNU 22 chances from the charity stripe. Prior to the buzzer-beating loss, East Bay picked up its third win of the season at Menlo, topping the Oaks, 66-42, on Dec. 11.
So far this season, the East Bay defense has found success. As a team, Cal State East Bay is second in the conference in scoring defense, allowing just 55.6 points per game. The Pioneers also lead the CCAA in field-goal percentage defense, holding opponents to just 34.4 percent shooting, thanks in part to their 24.4 defensive boards per game, fourth-best in the conference.
Freshman
Micah Walker and junior
Lauren Lucchesi are leading the Pioneers with nine points per game, ranking among the top 30 in the CCAA. East Bay is fourth in the conference in rebounding margin and its efforts on the glass are led by
Marlene MacMillan. The junior forward has led the team in rebounding in all but two games this season and is averaging 7.8 boards per game to rank seventh in the CCAA in that category. MacMillan is also adding 6.6 points per contest and leads the team, shooting 48.9 percent from the field, which also ranks among the top 10 in the league.
This weekend Cal State East Bay will be looking to get back on track. The Pioneers are already well on their way to besting last year's performance; one win this weekend will match the 2010-11 win total. East Bay went 1-3 against the Toros and Golden Eagles last season and will be out to improve on that effort this weekend.
Scouting Dominguez Hills
The Toros enter the weekend with a 1-9 overall record and an 0-3 mark in CCAA play. Cal State Dominguez Hills is due for a victory after losing the last seven games. Porsha Davis leads the Toros with 8.5 points per game, while Sherrie Hughes' 8.5 rebounds per game lead the team and rank fourth in the CCAA. Dominguez Hills is last in the conference in scoring offense, averaging just 47.8 points per contest, while allowing 62.2 points per game to its opponents. Last year, the Toros claimed the season series in two close contests, picking up a 49-42 win over the Pioneers in Hayward before downing East Bay with a three at the buzzer in Carson.
Gauging the Golden Eagles
Cal State LA is off to a 4-3 start with a 2-1 record in league play coming into this weekend's trip to Northern California. The Golden Eagles are coming off a 67-53 victory over Cal State Dominguez Hills and are set to play Cal State Monterey Bay on Sunday. Cal State LA ranks second in the CCAA in scoring, averaging over 72 points per game, but is also last in scoring defense, allowing 71.4 points per contest to its opponents. The top three-point shooting team in the conference, Cal State LA is knocking down nearly 40 percent of its shots from beyond the arc so far. Lacy Ramon and Tessondra Williams who are scoring 17.1 and 16 points per game, respectively. The two rank in the top five in the league in scoring and Ramon is also pacing the Golden Eagles on the boards with 7.1 rebounds per game. Last season, the Pioneers and Golden Eagles split the season series, with East Bay taking home a 65-55 win over Cal State LA at Pioneer Gym.
Faculty & Staff Appreciation
CSUEB faculty and staff are invited to join the Pioneers for lunch, games, prizes and giveaways at the CCAA basketball doubleheader on Monday, Dec. 19. Hot dogs, chips and sodas will be provided with CSUEB faculty or staff ID. Plus, 50 lucky fans will also win a Pioneer Pride t-shirt! Tip-off for Faculty & Staff Appreciation Day vs. Cal State LA is at 1 p.m.
Looking Ahead
Following this week's matchups, the Pioneers will take a 10-day break from competition for the holidays. East Bay will then play its final game of 2011 on Dec. 30, when it plays host to Cal State Monterey Bay at 4 p.m. at Pioneer Gym. The game against the Otters will also mark the final game of a four-game homestand and will be followed by four games on the road to start off the New Year.
